Vermont

2024's Towns In Vermont That Come Alive In The Fall

Published

1 year ago

October 5, 2024

2024's Towns In Vermont That Come Alive In The Fall

As the home of 55 state parks, over 100 covered bridges, and some of the most vivid fall foliage in the country, it is easy to see why the New England state of Vermont is one of the most sought-after places to visit in autumn. And despite the fact that we are already several weeks deep into the season, there is still plenty of time to savor the sights, with many Vermont towns reserving their brightest leaves for the second and third weeks of October.

As these towns shed their usual greenery in place of crimson and gold, a warm glow is cast across Vermont’s hilltops, river shores, and mountainsides. Add in pumpkin patches, hayrides, and festive events celebrating the season, and you have the perfect recipe for experiencing a New England fall at its finest in 2024.

Stowe

The Stowe Community Church, Stowe, Vermont.

Named one of 2024’s “Top 10 Best Places to See Fall Colors in the United States” by USA Today, Stowe embodies everything we know and love about a classic New England fall. Overlooked by Mount Mansfield (Vermont’s highest peak), this northern Vermont town of just over 5,000 locals welcomes a massive amount of the 13 million who visit Vermont each year. With summer and winter being the busiest seasons, fall in Stowe offers the perfect blend of tranquility and stunning views. Seasonal colors arrive as early as the beginning of September and, in some areas, last well into October, depending on the elevation.

If you are looking for Stowe’s vibrant hues earlier in the season, your best bet is to embark on higher hikes like the Stowe Pinnacle Trail, which grants breathtaking panoramic views of the valley and surrounding mountains. For a more easygoing foliage hike, Stowe’s 75-acre Kirchner Woods features flatter paths with stunning yellow and red sugar maples.

But for the ultimate leisurely leaf-peeping experience, you may just want to take to the sky. The town has several attractions that allow a bird’s-eye view of the foliage, including the Stowe Mountain Resort’s Gondola SkyRide, a forest zipline with ArborTrek Canopy Adventures, or Air Stowe Helicopter Tours. Just make sure to be back on land by October 11 to celebrate the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival, which will feature over 150 artists and artisans, live entertainment, and tons of delicious festival foods.

Burke

Although the picturesque mountain town of Burke has already seen its famed Fall Festival pass in late September, there is still plenty of autumnal bliss to savor in fall. As part of Vemront’s Northeast Kingdom, the town’s surrounding forests and alpine atmosphere means foliage begins to transform around mid-September, reaching peak vibrancy in early to mid-October. This period offers the perfect opportunity to witness the brilliant gold, red, and orange leaves in Darling State Park, which features stunning vistas on paths like the 1.3-mile Burke Mountain Overlook trail.

Beyond exploring the seasonal bliss by foot, Burke is also famous for its Kingdom Trail network, which boasts over 100 miles of biking paths. Whether you choose to rent a bike from Burke’s Village Sport Shop or bring your own, cycling these scenic forest trails is a fantastic way to soak in the beauty of the season. Alternatively, for a more unique experience, consider Burke’s DND Stables Guided Trail Rides, which offer leisurely horseback adventures suitable for riders of all skill levels, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the stunning autumn landscape.

Waitsfield

Over in the heart of the Mad River Valley, Waitsfield is a cozy town promising dramatic sights and spirited experiences in the fall. The valley, centrally located in Vermont, offers a striking contrast of Green Mountain summits and Mad River lowlands, combined with a tapestry of fiery autumn hues and crisp alpine airs. During your time in Waitsfield, you can expect peak-foliage in early to mid-October, but like Stowe, it will also depend on elevation.

For an immersive experience, adventurous travelers may want to take a Guided Fall Foliage Tours with downtown Waitsfield’s Clearwater Sports. While many people associate paddling with summer, the tree-dotted riverbanks reflect vibrant fall colors into the water, creating a truly special effect. With wildlife actively packing on the pounds for hibernation, you are also more likely to spot animals like the American black bear.

Another fantastic way to enjoy the fall scenery is through the Foliage Lift Rides at Mad River Glen. This ski area hosts its Foliage Weekend event on October, providing round trips to the summit for breathtaking views of the valley’s foliage. If you would like to linger a bit longer to take in the sights and snap some photos, you can step off the lift for a leisurely hike down the scenic 2.5-mile Stark Mountain Trail. On October 12, the Stark Mountain Foundation will also organize a Family-Friendly Nature Hike, guiding families from this trail to Waitsfield’s Kent Thomas Nature Center.

Manchester

Traveling to southern Vermont, Manchester is the perfect town for those craving spectacular views without the hike. Sandwiched between the Green and Taconic Mountains, picturesque backdrops are a constant in Manchester, with Mount Equinox towering above the skyline at 3,850 feet. With the addition of the Battenkill River encircling the town, postcard views are as natural as breathing.

For a jaw-dropping “Drive to the Sky,” visitors can take historic Route 7A (located between Manchester and Arlington) for a trip up the Mount Equinox Skyline Drive. As the longest privately owned paved toll road in the United States, the road’s 3,248-foot, 5.2-mile ascent to the top of Mount Equinox is stunning year-round. But mid-September through October is when the trees replace their usual green with a stunning tapestry of yellows, oranges, and reds, making this one of the most sought-after times to take the scenic drive.

Manchester is also an excellent destination for those with young kids, since the town hosts a great range of family-friendly activities. Fall Foliage Wagon Rides at Hildene Farm are a great follow-up to tours of the Lincoln Family Home. Alternatively, the Equinox Valley Nursery Pumpkin Patch also hosts a mountain-view wagon ride, along with a corn maze and an annual pumpkin carving festival (date to be determined).

Woodstock

While certain Vermont towns are at their most crowded in the summertime, Woodstock’s busy season is from September to October, when the leaves are at their brightest. The best entry to this quintessential New England town is via the Crossroad of the Vermont Scenic Byway, whose sparkling landscapes will set the mood for your stay. Woodstock is also bordered by the beautiful Ottauquechee River, making the town’s scenes that much prettier.

The 3-mile Ottauquechee River Trail is one of the best ways to take in the town’s autumnal sights, or you can opt for a more vertical path up Mount Tom for a bird’s-eye view of the village. Quechee State Park is also a short drive from Woodstock, known for its Quechee Gorge Trail. As for those looking for a more easygoing foliage hike, Woodstock has several rural areas worth exploring, like Sugarbush Farm and Bourdon Maple Farm. In the autumn months, Bourdon offers free sugar house tours, maple samples, and self-guided hikes through the farm’s vibrant Maple Trail.

East Corinth

For Halloween fanatics looking for a laid-back day trip this October, East Corinth boasts a ton of whimsy without the Woodstock crowds. Despite often being overlooked, the town’s main claim to fame is its reputation as a Beetlejuice Filming Location since the 1988 film’s outdoor scenes were shot throughout East Corinth, including the iconic bridge scene. To this day, the town exudes a gothic charm reminiscent of the film, showcased in 19th-century buildings like the East Corinth Congregational Church, which was built in 1840.

Leaf-peepers will also find themselves mesmerized by the stunning hillsides in this rural town. This year’s Corinth Fall Festival is set to line up with the region’s peak foliage season when the hills will come to life with dazzling shades of red and gold. The festival promises tractor rides, face painting, food, and artisan vendors.

Burlington

Despite being Vermont’s largest town, Burlington has that cozy small-town feel New England is famous for. As local oaks and maples take on their fall colors (generally reaching their crescendo in the first couple weeks of October), the town’s parks and green spaces feel warmer and cozier than ever. Oakledge Park is a great choice for views of Lake Champlain, or you can head to the heart of Burlington to explore The Intervale Center. This 360-acre nonprofit boasts everything from organic farms to recreational paths like the Intervale Trail, which winds through farmland and wooded paths along the Winooski River.

As for seasonal festivities, for those looking to get into the Halloween spirit, this historic Vermont town is also famous for its award-winning haunted town tour. The Queen City Ghostwalk, “Vermont’s Original Ghost Tour,” was awarded the 2024 “Best Guided Outdoor Tour” by Seven Daysies and has been voted one of New England’s best-haunted walks by magazines like Yankee and AAA. Alternatively, for those craving treats instead of tricks, Burlington’s Choctober Fest is a fun event taking place every Saturday in October, promising free chocolate tastings with seasonal maple, cider, and pumpkin flavors.

Grafton

With “Peak New England Vibes” and less than 700 locals, the sleepy and underrated village of Grafton is an ideal getaway spot for those craving a quieter experience this fall. Like other southern Vermont towns, Grafton sees its brightest foliage toward the beginning of October, so this is the best time to visit. And thanks to the town’s alpine atmosphere, crisp mountain air will accompany your views every step of the way.

For a scenic autumn drive (and a charming photo), Grafton’s Kidder Covered Bridge is an adorable little landmark that takes you across the South Branch Saxtons River. But to explore Grafton’s scene on foot, you will want to head to the Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center. Spread over 2,000 acres of land, the area boasts everything from rolling hills to vibrant woodlands where visitors can hike, mountain bike, leaf-peep, and even book a stay at the adjacent Grafton Inn hotel.

As a follow-up, the Nature Museum at Grafton is a great way to learn more about the area’s stunning outdoors and wildlife. As for those who would prefer to experience more of Grafton’s rural atmosphere, the Plummer’s Sugar House is a great next stop. Their free farm tours are a delight in the fall, plus they sell countless maple syrup goodies for those with a sweet tooth.

Final Thoughts

Summertime may be Vermont’s busiest tourist period (welcoming 5 million people every season), but autumn is when the Green Mountain State truly lives up to its New England image. Whether visiting towns like Woodstock (which has become world-famous for its classic autumn scenes) or sleepier rural towns like Grafton for a quiet getaway in the mountains, the kaleidoscope landscapes, seasonal flavors, and warm festivities will reveal why so many choose to spend their weekends, road trips, and getaways in Vermont this time of year.

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Vermont

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Published

6 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Crime

During a search of a dumpster where the worker allegedly discarded the mail, police found several packages and holiday cards.

A Vermont postal worker was cited and suspended for allegedly throwing away mail that was supposed to be delivered to other people, according to police.

Natasha Morisseau, 34, of North Troy, was cited on nine counts of petty larceny and five counts of unlawful mischief, Vermont State Police said in a statement. She works as a mail carrier for the town’s United States Postal Service (USPS) office.

Officers were first alerted to the discarded mail on the afternoon of Jan. 23, according to police. Upon finding the mail in a dumpster on Elm Street in North Troy, they determined that none of it was for that address.

Police identified Morisseau as a person of interest and learned that she was a postal employee. They confirmed that she had regularly been throwing away a small amount of mail under her care since at least October 2025, according to the statement.

After searching the dumpster and Morisseau’s mail vehicle, officers found opened and unopened packages, along with several holiday cards, one of which contained money. Morisseau was later cited Feb. 14 and is due to appear March 17 in Vermont Superior Court, police said.

Since Jan. 23, Morisseau has been suspended by USPS, and all recovered mail has been given back to them for delivery, according to the statement. The case has been forwarded to the USPS’ Inspector General for further review.

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Vermont Air National Guard joins Iran campaign – The Boston Globe

Published

18 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Vermont Air National Guard joins Iran campaign – The Boston Globe

On a typical day, some of the 20 stealth fighter jets based in South Burlington, Vt., take off from tiny Burlington International Airport for training runs near the northern border. In recent months, they’ve flown much farther afield.

The Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing was deployed in December to the Caribbean, where it took part in the US campaign to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Shortly thereafter, the squadron joined a military buildup in and around the Middle East to prepare for US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran.

Though both deployments had been widely reported, the military remained mum about the whereabouts of Vermont’s F-35A Lightning II jets. Even Governor Phil Scott, technically the commander of the Vermont Guard, said he only knew what he’d read in the news, given that US military leaders were directing the missions.

On Monday, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed the deployments at a Pentagon press conference about the war on Iran. Caine praised National Guard members from Vermont, Wisconsin, and elsewhere.

“In the case of the Vermont Air National Guard and the 158th Fighter Wing, they were mobilized for Operation Absolute Resolve,” Caine said, referring to the Venezuela campaign. “And then were tasked to take their F-35As across the Atlantic instead of going home, to be prepared to support this operation” in the Middle East.

Much remains unknown about the Vermont Guard’s recent missions, including the precise role they played in Venezuela and Iran, where the jets are currently based, and how long they’ll remain.

The Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment., Its recently elected leader, General Henry “Hank” Harder, said in a statement that the force was “proud of the dedicated and professional service of our Airmen” and pledged to support their families in the meantime.

“We will continue to carry out our commitment to these Vermont Service Members until, and long after, they return from this mission,” Harder said.

Vermont’s three-member congressional delegation, meanwhile, has praised Vermont Guard members for their service in Venezuela but has criticized President Trump’s campaigns there and in Iran, particularly absent congressional authorization.

“The people of our country, no matter what their political persuasion, do not want endless war,” said Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, echoing similar remarks from Senator Peter Welch and Representative Becca Balint, both Democrats. “We must not allow Trump to force us into another senseless war. No war with Iran.”

Paul Heintz can be reached at paul.heintz@globe.com. Follow him on X @paulheintz.

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Vermont

In Vermont, small town meetings grapple with debate on big issues

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

In Vermont, small town meetings grapple with debate on big issues

Tuesday is town meeting day in Vermont. Municipalities in New England and elsewhere are increasingly grappling with major national and international issues at the local level.

JOSEPH PREZIOSO/Getty Images

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JOSEPH PREZIOSO/Getty Images

If you haven’t lived in certain New England towns, it can be hard to fathom their centuries-old direct democracy-style Town Meetings, where everyday residents vote on mundane town business such as funding for schools, snow plows and road repairs.

These days, voters are also being asked to weigh in on national and international issues, for example, demanding the de-funding of ICE, and condemning “the unprovoked attack and start of an illegal and immoral war against Iran.” It’s all fueling a separate – and fierce– debate on what towns ought to be debating.

“When you have people sleepwalking into an authoritarian regime, it’s up to us to sound the alarm,” insists Dan Dewalt, an activist in Newfane, Vermont, one of several communities where residents scrambled to draft a resolution against the Iran war in time for their annual Town Meeting on Tuesday.

Local resolutions are a uniquely effective tactic, activists and experts say, and they’re being used increasingly around New England and beyond, especially as national politics have become so polarized.

“People feel isolated, helpless and hopeless. And when you hear about other people who are just like you taking a stand and representing something that you believe, that gives you not only hope, but it gives you power,” said Dewalt.

Several other Vermont towns will be considering resolutions Tuesday calling for the removal of the president and vice president “for crimes against the U.S. Constitution,” while many others will vote on a pledge to ” to end all support of Israel’s apartheid policies, settler colonialism, and military occupation and aggression.”

A similar divestment resolution passed 46 -15 in Newfane last year, following hours of heated argument over the plight of Palestinians, the security of Israelis, the “inflammatory” language of the resolution – and whether such problems half-a-world away even belong on the agenda of the tiny town of just about 1,650.

“It’s a Town Meeting for town issues,” Newfane resident Walter Hagadorn declared at a recent Select Board meeting, where residents pressed board members to block any future resolutions not directly related to town business.

“You shouldn’t be subject to hours and hours of people virtue signaling” and trying to “hijack Town Meeting,” Hagadorn said.

Others agreed, suggesting activists host a debate on their issues at another time and place, or stage a rally or protest instead.

But Select Board member Katy Johnson-Aplin pushed back, saying that would not have the same impact.

“It doesn’t work the same way,” Johnson-Aplin said. It’s only when the issue is formally taken up at a Town Meeting that “it goes in the newspaper and it’s recorded that the town of Newfane has agreed to have this conversation.”

University of Pennsylvania political science professor Daniel Hopkins has been watching the growing movement of local communities taking a stand on issues far beyond town lines.

“This is a trend we’re seeing increasingly across the 50 states and in a variety of ways but I think it has taken on a new and potentially more concerning edge,” Hopkins said. “I worry that we are in an attention-grabbing, sensation-rewarding media environment in which the kinds of issues that engage us at a national level may further polarize states and localities and make it harder for them to build meaningful coalitions on other issues.”

Indeed, in Newfane, the resolution regarding Israel became so divisive that some residents decided not to even come to last year’s Town Meeting, according to Select Board vice-chair Marion Dowling.

In Burlington, where a similar resolution was proposed, City Council President Ben Traverse says things got so heated, he and his family were getting harassing phone calls and even death threats. Burlington city councilors voted in January to block the question from going to a popular vote.Vermont has a history of “big issue” resolutions, from the push for a Nuclear Arms Freeze in the 1980’s, to calls to ban genetically modified foods in 2003. Dewalt, the Newfane activist, was behind several of them, including calls to impeach then-president George W. Bush in 2006, which got him invited to talk about it on network TV shows, and quoted in The New York Times.

“I can guarantee you if I stood up on my soap box and made a declaration of the exact same wording, I wouldn’t have had anybody asking me questions about it, he said. “We’re not pie-in-the-sky here about the power of our Newfane Town Meetings, but our actions have consistently had an impact.”

But opponents say activists overstate the impact of their resolutions, and their victory. They say it’s disingenuous, for example, to claim the town of Newfane supported the resolution against Israel, when the winning majority of 46 people was less than 3% of town residents.

“I feel like they’re using the town as a vehicle for their personal messages and that bothers me,” says Newfane resident Cris White. “It’s so junior high.”

Traverse, the Burlington City Council president, also takes issue with what he calls the “inflammatory” language of that resolution.

“The question, as presented, approaches this issue in a one-sided and leading way,” Traverse says.

In Vermont, any registered voter can get a resolution on the Town Meeting agenda by collecting signatures from 5% of their town’s voters. While elected city or town officials have the authority to allow or block the resolution, there is no process in place to vet or edit language.

Traverse says it would behoove city leaders and voters to require an official review to ensure that language is fair and neutral, just as many states do with ballot questions. Traverse says he’s not opposed to contentious, big issue resolutions being put to local voters, but the language must be clear and even-handed.

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